(Posted 18th January 2024)
Airlink regrets to confirm one of its aircraft was involved in a wet runway excursion upon landing at Pemba in Mozambique this afternoon
The Embraer 135 Regional Jet, registration ZS-SJX, operating as flight 4Z 204 from Johannesburg, had 32 passengers and three crew onboard. Everyone onboard disembarked from the aircraft through the main front entrance. At this time, there have been no reported injuries. Airlink and airport personnel at Pemba are taking care of the customers and crew.
Airlink has notified the relevant Mozambique and South African authorities. The airport operator has closed the runway, but as soon as it re-opens, we will dispatch a back-up aircraft to Pemba to operate the return flight. An Airlink recovery team will travel to Pemba to assist with retrieving the aircraft, which had aquaplaned off the runway.
Airlink will also provide all necessary assistance to Mozambique’s investigators. As the country of occurrence, Mozambique’s Directorate of Air Accident Investigations will conduct the formal investigation into the incident.
Airlink will provide updates as more verified information becomes available.
Meanwhile has an Ethiopian Airlines DHC8 / Q400 Turboprop, Flight ET 106, on landing in Mekele, also left the runway following a suspected front gear collapse upon landing. Like with Airlink does it appear that none of the passengers and crew were injured in the incident.
The aircraft, registered as ET-AVS, MSN 4590, YoM 2018, subsequently suffered substantial damage.
For both incidents are air accident investigations going underway.
